DNA manufacturing specialist Touchlight has announced a strategic partnership with SVF Vaccines to progress SVF's innovative Hepatitis B/D vaccine into clinical development.
The collaboration will use Touchlight's proprietary doggybone DNA (dbDNA) platform, a highly scalable enzymatic DNA technology designed to meet the growing global demand for genetic medicines and recognised by the industry for its superior manufacturability and functional advantages compared to traditional plasmid DNA (pDNA).
Touchlight added that dbDNA's capacity for dose sparing has shown "significant promise," potentially delivering effective immunity at substantially lower doses compared to pDNA.
SVF's innovative vaccine design targets crucial viral components of both Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis D (HDV), focusing specifically on the PreS1 region and the HDV large antigen.
This dual-targeting strategy not only stimulates a strong response of neutralising antibodies but also activates powerful T-cell responses to eliminate infected cells.
As a result, it offers comprehensive protection against HBV and HDV infections.
Jill Makin, Chief Scientific Officer at Touchlight, said: "This partnership with SVF Vaccines highlights the significant capabilities of our dbDNA platform in advancing innovative vaccines."
SVF's vaccine strategy is a bold and intelligent approach to tackling HBV and HDV. We are confident that our technology will play a crucial role in bringing effective and accessible treatments to patients globally.
This collaboration represents a significant step toward addressing HBV and HDV, diseases affecting millions worldwide, by harnessing the power of advanced vaccine technologies.
Matti Sällberg, Chief Scientific Officer at SVF Vaccines, added: "This partnership represents an important step in advancing our Hepatitis B/D programme toward the clinic."
By combining our immunotherapeutic vaccine design with Touchlight's manufacturing capabilities, we aim to accelerate development and deliver a differentiated approach to these infections.